Technology, cheap foreign labour and the economic collapse are transforming the employment market. And as the months roll by, more and people are asking themselves the question: what is it I actually do?

It appears that white collar skills are just not valued any more. Services which once required sitting in offices in central London can now be done at one-tenth the cost on the other side of the world.

It is not something a plumber or carpenter or electrician ever has to ask! These are jobs with a clearly defined purpose and the entire process is controlled from start to finish. It seems that nowadays there are more people offering to build a financial model or provide strategic brand advice than mend a burst pipe!

A recently conducted survey among employers around the world found that the toughest jobs to fill these days were skilled manual trades such as electricians, bricklayers, carpenters and plumbers.As governments around the world invest in green technology, people with established blue-collar skills and mechanical and electrical aptitude will benefit more from this new industry than those with white-collar skills.

The signs of a rapidly changing work environment, driven by instant global communications technologies is reflected right across the new world of work, from training through to recruitment and gainful employment. The increasing importance of hands-on, practical-based skills learning is gaining momentum and the part being played by approved and accredited construction trade skills training centres such as AbleSkills is coming to prominence. As whispers of 'green shoots' and the 'bottoming out' of the recession become louder, the building industries will be in the very forefront of economic regeneration as the upturn gears up.

Only those who had the foresight to change career path, or took advantage of redundancy by undertaking to commit to retraining, will be ableskilled to fulfill their ambitious prospects and enjoy the full return to lucrative employment in the changed work arena.